


Between Iron and Silver

by Huneypie



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Beverly Katz is an asexual queen, Bottom Will Graham, Bottom!Will, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, FBI Agent Hannibal Lecter, FBI Agent Will Graham, Flashbacks, Fluff and Angst, Forensics, Gay Character, Hannibal Lecter Loves Will Graham, Hannibal Lecter is a Cannibal, Hannibal Lecter is a Creep, Hannibal Lecter is a Softie, How Do I Tag, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Internalized Homophobia, Jealous Will Graham, Lesbian Character, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Minor Original Character(s), Murder, Murder Husbands, Protective Hannibal Lecter, Sexuality Crisis, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Someone Help Will Graham, Top Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham Loves Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham is a Mess, he needs a hug, my parents are so disappointed, no beta we die like men, oh god I hate tagging things, top!Hannibal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:33:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27654164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Huneypie/pseuds/Huneypie
Summary: *Heads up, I can't write summariesHe was the absolute last person Will wanted to see right now, out of every single place in the world, why here? why now? weren't they done with this crap? Risking a peak, Will glanced over at the looming menace, he who disturbed his precious and rare alone time. Hannibal's steely eyes glinted smugly in the fluorescent LED lights of the organic vegetable aisle."Oh, Hello Will-" the corners of his mouth slid up coquettishly,"-Fancy seeing you here."
Relationships: Alana Bloom/Margot Verger, Bella Crawford/Jack Crawford, Jimmy Price/Brian Zeller, Will Graham & Beverly Katz, Will Graham & Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 1
Kudos: 34





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> hi hi!! ;u; this is a new fic that I literally came up with like six minutes ago.. im really sorry if the spelling is a little funky, I'm typing on a really shitty dell laptop my school gave me for online classes lmao. It's also like 1 am soooo im a little tired lol ;-; This is actually my second fic ever and im super nervous :/ i love writing but I know certain fandoms are pretty cutthroat, so to speak, and I haven't interacted with the Hannibal fandom that much so idk if i'l be able to handle that lol. Either way! im super psyched to start this and I hope you enjoy!
> 
> \- Huney

Hello there! This is introduction chapter I tend to add to all of my fics, this usually includes a list of triggers and potentially unsettling topics that could hinder someone from enjoying this fine piece of literature. Along with that, I will be going into detail about my posting schedule and what to expect. That being said, let's get into it!

** Potentially triggering topics: **  
_\- Self harm/Mentions of self harm_  
_\- Possessiveness_  
_\- Taking of prescription drugs_  
_\- Talk and reference to potential eating disorders_  
_\- Descriptions of violence and murder_  
_\- Police, corrupt or otherwise_

**Posting Policy:**  
Alright, posting schedules have always been a little tricky for me because as much as I love writing, I don't always have the energy or imagination for it, so, that being said, here's the rough outline of my posting schedule -

* _A new chapter (hopefully) every week_  
\- _most likely will be posted on a Wednesday or a weekend day_

Alright sick! that's the gist, if ya'll have any questions/comments/concerns, ask them in the comments :) expect a chapter out in the next few days!


	2. Coffee Stains Are in This Season!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi hi! I took a little while to write this, I know, but I promise I wasn't procrastinating the whole time! (I was a little but I seriously spent a whole day just outlining this dumb thing). Either way! enjoy this chapter <3  
> it would be so nice if you left a comment, hearing what yall have to say really makes me want to keep writing :)  
> -Huneypie <3

Will cosies himself into his wool scarf, the wintery cold nipping at his flushed nose. If it hadn’t been for the cup of coffee he has wrapped up between his gloved hands, he definitely would’ve been shivering by now. East Coast winters were always cold and unforgiving, blanketing the earth with soft and fragile white snow, displaying beauty but discriminating against those who don’t come prepared to face the biting temperatures. Will walks along the icy paving of the parking lot, a small box of office supplies being held under his arm, a box that he fully prepares to unleash once he finally gets the chance to see his new office. The job isn’t exactly an easy one to get, but Will has had enough experience and reputation points to be awarded it with open arms.

Technically, he never passed the screening that was required of all FBI personnel, but he figures that he was a good enough asset that he wasn’t held to it. Will picks up the pace as he makes his way inside the FBI Academy, face blasted with warm and comforting air as the doors open. He’s been assigned a very special position within Quantico, all things considered. Will is a professor; He trains incoming agents at the academy, teaching behavioural analysis sciences and profiling, but when he was first hired, he had been informed that his final position had changed- he had been assigned to the Behavioural Analysis Unit. Flurries of emotions swell and twist in his stomach, shoes lightly thumping on the linoleum flooring. The Academy is of considerable size with tall ceilings, clean white walls and squeaky, shining floors. Will doesn’t dare show it, but it’s all very intimidating. By now he’s used to change, used to the hunt and the chase, moving around from place to place, grasping every opportunity he could to get himself farther from home. He isn’t nearly as far as he liked, but at least it was a start.

Last night he had studied the student handbook, hoping to memorize where his lecture hall and office would be to avoid as much social confrontation as possible, and soon, Will had found himself at the double doors that lead straight into the unknown. Well, he actually knows very well what is hidden behind them (he really did obsess over that handbook), but for some reason, he could feel himself stiffen a bit when he thought about opening them. Taking the plunge, Will thrust open a door with his one free hand, immediately wondering where the hallway switch might be. He had never been the most coordinated man, and his outdated prescription glasses might actually do more harm than good when it comes to sight, but he stumbles into his office with a purpose like no other. It’s dark and chilly, making Will eager to get all of the lights and heating going. Will silently trudges about the room, deep in thought and not paying any mind to his surroundings, when the absolute worst thing that could’ve happened, happens. 

With a thump and a gasp, Will trips over the leg of his unseen desk and falls right into the back of a looming, intimidatingly tall figure. The coffee plummets, splashing on the back of the beautiful suit jacket, all over the desktop and directly on Will’s books. Eyes widening, Will silently jolted his head up to look at the poor soul he just ran into. The figure's arm reaches to their right, flipping the lights on and letting Will stare into the menacing glare of the man’s steely eyes. Immediately, Will is sent into defence mode, attempting to conceal his frustration with the situation he put himself into.

“Watch where the fuck you’re going! Jesus, you’ve ruined all my text materials…” Will spits, face heating up with embarrassment.

The man’s face morphs into an unbecoming expression,” What is wrong with you! Wandering around without a care in the world like an idiot” He’s obviously holding back, trying to save face and maintain his air of poise and propriety- no, _self-importance_ , but the snarl in his tone comes through nonetheless.

“What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with you! I have a lecture starting in 20 minutes and now you’ve gone and made my life a million times more difficult!” Will seethes, keeping his voice down.

“Unbelievable…” The tall man trails off, removing his suit jacket to inspect the stain and letting out an exasperated sigh. 

“Send me the bill,” Will says, voice dripping with sarcasm, venomous and hot and ready to be rid of the stranger.

“Oh, you’d love to think you could afford me another” 

Will scoffs in response.

“You needn’t worry,” _pompous asshole,_ ” I hear coffee stains are in this season.”

He leans back against his desk, eyes flicking between the spilt coffee on his desk and the stranger undressing in front of him. On closer inspection, he seems rather handsome, taking on a more mature and refined look. _Shame that a face like that was wasted on a prick like him_ , Will thinks with an internal snort.

“Save me the sarcastic comments for when I’m in the wrong, I’ll accept it with pleasure”

“Give me a break”

“Whatever you desire” He spits venom with a smile, mocking him dearly.

“Maybe I should spill coffee on you more often if that’s how you react!”

“I don’t need a lost puppy following me around trying to give me coffee, thank you _kindly_ ”

“Oh really? Cuz’ it seems a servant would complement your self-righteous attitude quite well!”

The man scoffs, not for lack of response but not having the indignity to carry on any further with the petty quarrel.

Flustered, Will takes a step back, realizing how close they had gotten to one another while arguing. He straightens his tie.

The man’s eyes are grey and cold, the centrepiece to a broad chin and pronounced cheekbones, thin lips curling into a snarl. The crinkles next to his eyes suggest age, but nothing more than 40. Well kept and cleanly slicked back, his hair was an ash blonde, pronouncing his bright eyes even further. He wore a very tasteful three-piece suit (well, two-piece now) and a complimenting tie, showing off his aristocracy. How curious.

“See something you like?” he sneers, eyes lit ablaze with amusement.

Will snaps back into reality, feeling his face grow hot. He tears his gaze away from the man, not wanting to egg on the man’s teasing or give him the satisfaction of a defensive reaction.

Will shifts his feet, looking down and clearing his throat through the silence, still mad but uncomfortable in the silence. Relieved of his ruined coat, a smirk falls over the man's face. his torso’s curved and carved like stone, his vest contouring against him in the most irritating manner possible. He’s obviously in good shape, he even has an obviously expensive cologne on, or…aftershave? The stranger pivots and casts a final glance at Will with a mischievous smile.

“A pleasure meeting you, Mr Graham” 

Just like that, the man strides away and out of the office. _Who the hell was he?_ Will stands at his desk, dumbfounded. _This is ridiculous,_ he looks down at his watch, tensing at the time. Fifteen minutes till his first lecture...how the hell is he going to manage this? He looks around the room, not seeing any obvious cleaning supplies so decidedly makes a break for the exit. On the hunt for paper towels, tissues, anything that could potentially aid him in the mess he’s created. People are looking at him as he sprints through the halls, making him grow self-conscious, but Will knows that this is just his karma for not paying attention to where he was going- _again_ . Plaques labelling each room whiz by as he looks for a bathroom or a breakroom, Lecture hall 201, 203, 205, nearly tripping on thin air, he keeps going. 211, 213, 21- _Ah ha!_ Will spots it, _The Break Room_ . In earnest effort, Will turns on his heels and trudges into the break room, completely out of breath. His watch says 8:20, aiding his panic just a little more. He thrusts open the door, looking for the nearest sink he could find, when he spots a man sipping coffee on one of the lounge chairs. Finally catching his breath, Will sprints to the sink, opening the bottom and finding _exactly_ what he needs. Panting, he grabs a roll of paper towels and a bottle of generic table cleaner. Will turns and makes eye contact with the man in the chair.

“You doin’ alright?” He says with a smile.

“You seem pretty out of breath.”

“Uh, yeah, I made a little bit of a mess in my office and I have a lecture starting in ten minutes” Will discloses, adding a flustered half-smile.

He lets out a hearty laugh and Will blushes.

“First day, huh?” He stands up and reaches out a hand. Jesus, he’s tall.

“My name’s Sadie. Sadie Matthews,” He simpers, “I’m a professor here, I’m guessing you are as well?”

“Yes! I started today but so far things don’t seem going my way…I’m Will Graham.” Will trails off with a slight chuckle, looking down at his feet and fumbling with the roll of paper towels in his arms.

“Understandable, Will Graham, things tend to be very fast-paced around here-” He stands up and places his empty mug on the side of the sink, “-Would you like some help with that? My lectures don’t start for another hour or so.” As he finishes his last sentence he takes a step towards Will, holding a hand out to take some of the items.

“I’d love some help.” his cheeks and ears turn pink, flattered by the other’s offer. 

With a chuckle, Sadie takes the towels and cleaning solution, gesturing towards the door with a quick “let's go!”

At a closer glance, Sadie was much less intimidating. Tall and not too muscular, his short but shaggy deep brown hair framing the soft and gentle angles of his face, with a decently sizable nose in the centre of it all, obviously some kind of Greek or Italian. His eyes, bright and lively, are a deep amber, surrounded by long lashes and a heavy brow.

“What, are you inspecting me?” Sadie laughs, obviously saying it as a joke, but Will realizes that he was right- he had been staring daggers into him the whole time.

“Oh, I’m sorry! I had no clue I was doing that” Will takes one last glance at him. He’s a stark contrast to the man he met earlier, humble and kind in his manners and gentle in his looks. No pompous attitude, no sneering, no snarls. It’s nearly jarring that he- oh wait, he’s doing it again, isn’t he. Will zones back in once more to see Sadie looking back at him incredulously.

“Will...Will!.....WILL!” He says, holding back his laughter, “Y’know maybe I should’ve given you that cup of coffee I was drinking instead of finishing it myself.”

Will can’t muster a response and so settling with a small laugh, becoming increasingly uncomfortable with how he’s been acting since he got here. They walk in silence onward, tension light but still there. Will looks at the textbooks he has in his hands, splashes of coffee accessorizing the pages, deciding solemnly that they’re unsalvageable and that he should just throw them out and get new ones. He feels a pair of eyes on him and looks at Sadie as they near his office.

With a clearing of his throat, Sadie starts, “Y’know if you give me those books I can toss ‘em in the freezer for you” He beams at Will's expression.

“You’ll toss my books in _what?_ ” 

“The freezer!”

“Oh _absolutely not_ ”

“Will-”

“ _No_ ”

“They’ll make it so you don’t have to throw them away!” Sadie spits out his words, knowing that if he took any longer Will would have just vetoed it once again.

“...Fine” Will gives in, a little confused but still appreciative. Finally, at the entrance of his office, he looks around warily, wondering if the guy he spilt coffee on was near. So far, no sight of him. Will let's out a breath and opens the doors.

They both enter his room and get to cleaning, wiping and mopping up all the coffee from the desk and floor. It’s a funny spectacle, seeing a man in a suit scrub the floors. This whole place is strange, with the rude man he ran into earlier and now the unsettling kindness of Sadie. Like a wolf and it’s lamb, as much as Will wants to believe in the complete benevolence of his surroundings and that the rude man was just a one-time thing, he can’t shake the feeling of something being a little off. He feels like goldilocks asking the wolf _“My, what big teeth you have, grandmother!”_ as the monster sneers and snarls- wait was it goldilocks or red riding hood? Whichever dumb little girl it was, the comparison was clear and unsettling. Sadie sits up with a sigh of contentment, swiping his hands-on each other a few times to dispel the dirt and dust. Will looks at him silently, wiping up the last bit of coffee off the desk. Sadie sends him a smile.

“Are we all done here?” He gets to his feet, reminding Will of his towering stature.

“Uh...yeah I’d call this good.” Will swallows heavily and sends him a weak smile back. Will and Sadie make their way back to the door, Will handing him the textbooks in exchange for the cleaning supplies, making a silly remark about how he should keep the supplies for the next time he spills sticky liquids all over the room, making them both giggle a bit. Finally, Sadie takes his leave when something catches his eye.

“Oh, you don’t have a plaque with your name outside your room yet?” Sadie points out.

“I can get you one of those pretty fast if you’d like?”

“Wait what? I don’t?” Will does a double-take at his door. _That’s so strange…_

“Yeah, I guess they never got to it! Don’t worry, I have you covered.” Sadie sets down the cleaning supplies and coffee-weeping textbooks, pulling out his phone, presumably to text whoever’s in charge of the plaques. 

_That makes no sense._

Will’s blood runs cold.

_If there’s no plaque or name tag...how did that man know his name?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright i hope that wasn't too bad lol  
> I haven't written fanfiction in a super long time so I really hope this isn't as bad as I'm afraid it is. Sorry that it isn't super super long, but I think they'll get longer as I get more comfortable with writing again!  
> Have a nice day/afternoon/evening/night  
> it would be amazing if you could leave a nice comment, It absolutely makes my day when I read yalls comments :)  
> \- Huneypie <3


	3. Well That SUX

His first lecture ran smoothly, and after his encounter with Sadie, Will feels nearly optimistic about his whole situation. He flits through his papers and files, reminiscing over past cases he’s worked on and solved. They all seem like distant memories, even if the last case was closed barely two months ago. The case was an especially curious one, due to the remote locations and almost identical patterns of mutilation. The first body had been found deep in a forest that crossed through Maryland and Virginia, the body having been officially ruled as being found in Virginia due to the victims' residency. It had been a young man named Conor Lasley, a regular hiker who frequented the trails that bordered Maryland and Virginia before being a lamb sent to slaughter. Lacerations had been found in his sides, one on each side, severing the midpoint of his external abdominal oblique (the external sides of his torso, in less formal terms) along with a horizontal laceration in each achilles tendon. He had been presumed to have bled to death but there were no signs of struggle nor any traces of paralytic drugs. Lasly had been out there for awhile, at least a week, his skin turning to a putrid red and the smell practically unbearable.

Surprisingly, after an autopsy had been performed it became obvious that the lacerations to the abdomen and achilles tendon had been made postmortem, pointing to a more curious conclusion; there must have been some other non-violent way he died. After countless days of testing, they had been stumped. Finally, Will made them perform one last test- to check the cortisol and adrenaline, therefore, stress levels of the victim before death. The results were fascinating but unsurprising; high levels of Cortisol had been found within his body, indicating a violent and traumatizing death, but still, no signs of struggling. After much discussion, the pathologists decided to do one more test; a test for the chemicals that could’ve been left over after use of specific drugs (aka metabolites). finally they found breakdown products of a virtually untraceable paralytic drug called Succinylcholine or “SUX” (Will had a hard time not breaking out a stupid pun about how it “sux” to be him, before exhibiting some self restraint).

Despite all the trouble they went through, they never found a lead nor evidence, even while using the profile Will had created of what he thought his motives would be. The killer was ruthless, but cunning and very well thought out. He did it for pleasure and without hesitation, meaning he’s either done it many times before or they had been fighting off the urges to kill for a while and finally gave in. Both options pointed to a highly sophisticated man, suggesting that the killer most likely had a good education and grew up comfortable. The nature of the lacerations suggested confidence, pointing towards option A, but the cuts along his achilles weren’t nearly deep enough to suggest that Conor had been running away before having his ankles severed, suggesting that the killer did a lousy job of covering up his tracks or did it just for fun- both being equally entertaining notions to Will.

Will never worked on the second case, it being far too up north than he was willing to travel, but either way he doubted it mattered. The victim was named Ella Frock, a college student and of course an experienced hiker, found dead in another forest three months later. From what Will had heard, the scene had been almost exactly the same, a laceration on each of her sides and her achilles, body face down in a bed of ferns, found around a week after death with traces of broken down SUX in her toxicology reports. Everything was exactly the same, just mirrored on a different body.

As far as Will knows, the killer has never been found, after having absolutely no witnesses other than the poor souls who stumbled upon the rotting corpses. They were stumped, and after the bodies stopped appearing, the case went cold. Will had never ended up being super attached to the case in the first place, so once it was dropped he decided it was time to get up and move again. Up north he went, out of South Carolina into Virginia, Wolf trap to be specific. It’s much nicer than his last place, opting to live outside the city rather than in a cramped apartment like last time. It might be a bit of a drive, but hotels exist for a reason and he’s come to enjoy the drive more or less. Will’s too deep in thought to notice Jack Crawford enter his office, clearing his throat a few times and failing to get his attention before deciding to say his name.

“Oh, nice seeing you Jack” Will says with a thin-lined and polite smile.

“The same for you, Graham. You’re settling in quite nicely?” He quips, nodding towards the minor but still noticeable coffee stain on the side of Will’s shirt.

“Yes, quite nicely-” There’s a beat of silence, “- I can’t imagine you’re here for just a friendly chat, I know what a busy man you are.” Will states, Jack chuckling softly.

“Can never get anything over your head, can I?” He smiles and softly shakes his head. Jack carries on, “Since your switch to the Behavioural Analysis Unit was so sudden, you were never given the chance to meet the rest of the team!”

“Oh, I suppose that’s true.” he looks back up to Jack.

“Well, I’ve arranged for a formal meeting between you and the B.A.U, so you can all get acquainted and things won’t be too awkward at the crime scenes.” Jack says matter-of-factly, looking quite proud of himself.

Will feels his stomach sink a bit. He has nothing against meeting new people and talking to them… except for the fact that he does. He grimaces at the thought of first impressions and the awkward small talk that inevitably ensues. Nevertheless, he proceeds with Jack. After a few more points of conversation they make it out the office, the door slamming behind them. Jack runs through their general procedures, rules, and all the other basic knowledge that you need to know when first starting out. He deems it as odd that he’s being told this _after_ his first lecture but whatever works, he supposes. Will starts to zone out as Jack rambles on about their littering policy, and how he often isn’t the one to help the new staff get around but since he’s in such a special position, he deemed it appropriate. They rapidly approach what Will recalls to be the main B.A.U conference room as well as offices for their respective higher-ups that are on the team. Jack places a hand on Will’s shoulder and he tenses up under the touch, uncomfortable with the supposedly comforting gesture, but letting his protests fall short so he doesn’t create any tension with his brand-new boss. He stops his rambling for a moment and looks over to Will.

“Will, I’ve been made aware of your background and certain...aspects of your upbringing-” He draws in a deep breath, Will wanting to sprint away and hide in his new office out of embarrassment. “-I want you to know that if you ever need to voice a concern to me or just need a listening ear to talk to, man-to-man, I’m here.” He finishes with what is most likely meant to be a comforting smile, but Will is not so sure anymore.

He twitches slightly under his gaze, anxiety filling up his head and threatening to spill if he doesn’t recover and get out of his head quickly. He offers Jack a quick nod and a quiet smile, knowing that he can’t risk seeming ungrateful under his new boss’s interrogating eye’s. Seemingly satisfied, Jack drops his hand from Will’s shoulder and pushes open the partially glass-paneled door. At first glance, Will wasn’t surprised by what he sees, a long and decently wide carpeted halfway, massive windows on all sides showing in conference rooms, autopsy rooms, a morgue and a few offices. Looking a little closer, he notices a small group of people standing around an empty autopsy table, laughing and talking like they were all sitting in a cafe sipping coffee or tea and not standing in a room surrounded by shelves of rotting corpses. Will realizes he’s lagged behind Jack Crawford and speeds up his walking a bit, still quietly examining the small arbitrary traits, like the scratchy carpet that looks grey but upon closer inspection is a bunch of multi colored strands woven together into each other, or the tall white ceilings and chrome-framed windows. It smells clean and the below-room temperature air sent a chill up his spine. Anxiety overwhelms him as Jack moves to open the glass door and Will wavers behind him for a moment, contemplating if this is really worth it, if he should just move back home and escape these horrible situations where he has to _talk_ to people (ew).

Will raises his hand, about to say something to his boss, but it’s too late. Jack pushes the door open, a large smile appearing on his wide face as the attention is drawn to them, standing in the doorway. Will instinctively tries to hide behind Jack, looking like a shy child, tucked behind the man’s large frame.

“Hello, everyone! This here is our new recruit, William Graham-” Jack turns around, attempting to find the man so he could present him to the team. Quickly, he spots him cowering and pushes him forward, removing him from his half-assed hiding spot. 

“Uh, It’s just Will, Sir…” He says quietly. Jack chuckles.

“Yes, my apologies. Everyone, this is Will Graham, he’s recently moved here from South Carolina and now works as a professor and an asset to the Behavioral Analysis Unit here in tried and true Quantico!” He says confidently with a hearty laugh on the tail end.

Will feels like a deer in headlights, feeling at least six pairs of eyes on him, one of them feeling very familiar, excluding Jack’s own prideful gaze. He musters up a relatively convincing smile and a wave, before two of the men in the group resume their playful bickering and the tension seems to ease. He surveys the crowd as Jack moves to join them, the atmosphere friendly and calming to Will’s nerves. On the far left there are two women, smiling at chatting, the one closest to him flicking her eyes between him and her conversation partner. The woman closest to him is of average build, with long black hair and a strikingly beautiful oval shaped, intelligent looking face, features complimenting her tan skin. The woman next to her was around the same height, with long brown hair pulled back from her fair skin and striking red lipstick, an air of knowledge e. He looked over at the men quickly, feeling relieved when he sees Sadie talking next to a tall man with ashy brown hair who was currently facing away from him, all engaged in a conversation with the two men who were bickering when he walked in just a second ago.

“Hey, Will!” The woman closest to him beckoned him over, sharing a glance with her friend.

“I’m Beverly Katz, I’m a crime scene investigator” She starts, lending him a striking smile, looking over at her neighbor.

“It’s a great pleasure to meet you Will, I’m Alana Bloom. Psychiatry Professor.” She offers an equally friendly smiles, holding her hand for a handshake.

Will almost instantaneously calms down, the worst part of it being over. He takes Alana’s hand, admiring her firm shake before turning to look at the both of them.

“I’ve gotta say, I feel a little out of my depth here-” He glances around nervously, looking at the pack of men on the other side of the table, rowdily talking with each other. “Everyone already seems very… tight-knit already,”

Alana and Beverly give each other a look, “Don’t worry, I know the guys can be a bit much sometimes, but they don’t bite,” Beverly chuckles, “Well, at least some of them…” at that Alana suppresses a snort as they cast glances to the backs of the two bickering men, engaged in some type of “lovers-quarrel” he supposes.

“But seriously, there’s nothing to be afraid of. Unless you don’t like looking at dead bodies, and in that case I'm not sure why you’ve taken this job” Alana chimes in, clearly trying to soothe Will’s nerves.

“Oh trust me, I like to look at dead bodies” Will says in pseudo-confidence, before holding the bridge of his nose in mental agony as his coworkers stifle laughs at his misstep.

“Yes, don’t we all,” Beverly casts him a comforting glance, seemingly effective as Will begins to relax into their conversation, Alana leaving to go talk to Jack, letting Beverly and Will discuss topics of surface level importance, things more akin to gossip, before Will starts noticing that they’ve been slowly migrating towards the other men in the group. Will casts a pleading to Beverly, receiving a knowing look in response, almost as if they were having their own silent conversation.

_Beverly please, I can’t go over there, what if I make another joke about liking dead bodies?_

_We all like dead bodies, Will, we work in forensics._

_Please, Beverly_

_I will count to three if you don’t let me escort your ass over there_

They hold each other’s gaze for a moment, a staring contest for dominance, with Will obviously losing and being dragged over to the group of rowdy forensic scientists. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi guys, sorry that this one is so short and that there isn't a whole lot of action in it. I'm going through a break up right now and it's been really hard to get myself motivated to write, or really do anything productive. Thank you for understanding.  
> If you enjoyed this chapter, leave a comment? your comments always make me feel happy and want to continue writing.
> 
> have a nice day/evening/night  
> \- Huneypie


End file.
